I’ve got to hand it to Sabine Fischer and Sue McKee - the principals behind Integra Leadership Inc. We met through sure happenstance about 18 months ago, and Sue was instrumental in helping our business through a rocky time ... we just needed to find our direction - Sue really helped here.
Then I got busy and for sure so did Sue and we really have not been in touch for about six months. It was with surprise that I received an email from Sue - a newsletter --- and it was a lovely one at that. Well formatted with very meaningful content - and just the right length. Took about three minutes to read and I felt that I had learned something.
Although I will take credit for planting the idea in Sue's head about a year ago that a newsletter would be a worthwhile initiative, I have to give Sue and team far more credit than I would give myself. Why? They implemented it --- and in today's busy times, even implementing what may seem like a silly little newsletter (and this newsletter sure is not that), takes a lot of time, planning and effort.
So Sue, Sabine and team ... well done!! I raise my hat!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
Talk is (Not) Cheap
Last week I had the pleasure of attending http://talkischeap.pbwiki.com/ at Centennial College.
It was a really cool experience for a few reasons -
1. I met a bunch of hop youngsters in the final throes of the college's PR program. Each student was hip in their own way and certainly many will be a force to be reckoned with once they graduate and get jobs in the biz. I like this!
2. I met a really neat thinker - Brett McAteer (out of Ottawa). It was really a chance meeting and Brett's right wing views really interested me a lot. In an email Brett sent to me the day after ... "I’ve got it! We should be calling this potentially huge niche not press and not public and not media relations but Social Relations. That’s it. I’m going to start the world’s first SR firm, later today, after changing the oil in my car. You ready? It was a pleasure chatting with you, John.
Brett, I am ready in a big way --- hhhhmmmm --- now you got me thinking
3. Nice to sit in on the podcast with a bunch of Toronto PR associates --- very interesting. But I gotta say that I am still unconvinced about the world of podcasting. People are so busy these days, it's like who has the time. Anyway, I suppose there is a space for everything on the planet.
That's it for now. I am nearing the end of another 15 hour day. Woo Hoo!
It was a really cool experience for a few reasons -
1. I met a bunch of hop youngsters in the final throes of the college's PR program. Each student was hip in their own way and certainly many will be a force to be reckoned with once they graduate and get jobs in the biz. I like this!
2. I met a really neat thinker - Brett McAteer (out of Ottawa). It was really a chance meeting and Brett's right wing views really interested me a lot. In an email Brett sent to me the day after ... "I’ve got it! We should be calling this potentially huge niche not press and not public and not media relations but Social Relations. That’s it. I’m going to start the world’s first SR firm, later today, after changing the oil in my car. You ready? It was a pleasure chatting with you, John.
Brett, I am ready in a big way --- hhhhmmmm --- now you got me thinking
3. Nice to sit in on the podcast with a bunch of Toronto PR associates --- very interesting. But I gotta say that I am still unconvinced about the world of podcasting. People are so busy these days, it's like who has the time. Anyway, I suppose there is a space for everything on the planet.
That's it for now. I am nearing the end of another 15 hour day. Woo Hoo!
Friday, November 14, 2008
Some of us just don't get it
Wow ...
A client called today looking to have us manage their ad budget, and a fairly hefty one at that. It is a national buy - $120k (nothing to sneeze at). So, I had one of my people call up to get rates. Our experience with the Montreal Gazette was brutal.
1. It took her 6 minutes on the Gazette's site for us to track down their phone number (surely companies should make it easy to be contacted, especially when they are the one's doing the selling). Rule 101: If a buyer cannot contact you, they will go elsewhere. This is especially true in the internet age when you have three or less clicks to capture interest
2. So we called, and there was no human to speak to. I repeat ... no-one. Just a voicemail saying if you know the last name of the person to whom you want to speak, please enter it now, otherwise leave a message. This is hardly the greeting a new customer wants to hear. How would I know the last name of the person I need to speak to if I have never called before?
3. So, I left a message 6 hours ago.
And am still waiting to be called back.
Meanwhile, we have taken our business elsewhere.
A client called today looking to have us manage their ad budget, and a fairly hefty one at that. It is a national buy - $120k (nothing to sneeze at). So, I had one of my people call up to get rates. Our experience with the Montreal Gazette was brutal.
1. It took her 6 minutes on the Gazette's site for us to track down their phone number (surely companies should make it easy to be contacted, especially when they are the one's doing the selling). Rule 101: If a buyer cannot contact you, they will go elsewhere. This is especially true in the internet age when you have three or less clicks to capture interest
2. So we called, and there was no human to speak to. I repeat ... no-one. Just a voicemail saying if you know the last name of the person to whom you want to speak, please enter it now, otherwise leave a message. This is hardly the greeting a new customer wants to hear. How would I know the last name of the person I need to speak to if I have never called before?
3. So, I left a message 6 hours ago.
And am still waiting to be called back.
Meanwhile, we have taken our business elsewhere.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Sometimes media can make things better, othertimes worse
I think it’s more than fair to say that right now, the world is in the dumps about its globally spiraling stock markets. Seems like every day, one after another, is a bloodbath ... whether you're in Singapore, Sydney, London or New York. And there is no doubt that millions of people worldwide have lost trillions of dollars - me included.
But the past that really gets my goat here is the media. It's doom and gloom all the way, every day. Seems to me that they only interview doom-sayers ... surely, there must be a person in-the-know-about-stocks somewhere in the world, who has something positive to say - someone who can perhaps defy conventional wisdom!
Why are the media not spending some time with Warren Buffett, the Oracle of Ohama? He's been buying stocks big time lately ... now mind you, they are all quality stocks. He's very bullish about matters. Nooo - instead the media choose to only interview doomsayers who seem to feed off the detritus of yester-years' strong markets.
Come on media! Please balance your interviewees. It's not all doom and gloom out there. There is a silver lining in this black cloud. Seek someone who's positive, (or at least neutral) and I can assure you - you'll find. And hey, if you are at a total loss, you can always pick me. Good news can be contagious
But the past that really gets my goat here is the media. It's doom and gloom all the way, every day. Seems to me that they only interview doom-sayers ... surely, there must be a person in-the-know-about-stocks somewhere in the world, who has something positive to say - someone who can perhaps defy conventional wisdom!
Why are the media not spending some time with Warren Buffett, the Oracle of Ohama? He's been buying stocks big time lately ... now mind you, they are all quality stocks. He's very bullish about matters. Nooo - instead the media choose to only interview doomsayers who seem to feed off the detritus of yester-years' strong markets.
Come on media! Please balance your interviewees. It's not all doom and gloom out there. There is a silver lining in this black cloud. Seek someone who's positive, (or at least neutral) and I can assure you - you'll find. And hey, if you are at a total loss, you can always pick me. Good news can be contagious
Saturday, August 16, 2008
The Costs Of Class
You know, it really is true --- what goes around comes around, or as they say, in our business - the worm turns. Last week I think I did something that showed some class.
I sent some flowers to another top-notch Toronto PR agency ... the reason why I did this is really academic now, but I think it was the right thing to do.
More importantly, the right thing of the PR agency to do, was to thank me for the gesture. Don't get me wrong - I don't require accolades or anything like that, but recognition is always nice ... and they too did the right thing.
Within minutes of them getting the flowers, I was called by the agency thanking me. And in today's age when class is sadly out the window, it was a nice act.
Thanks ...
I sent some flowers to another top-notch Toronto PR agency ... the reason why I did this is really academic now, but I think it was the right thing to do.
More importantly, the right thing of the PR agency to do, was to thank me for the gesture. Don't get me wrong - I don't require accolades or anything like that, but recognition is always nice ... and they too did the right thing.
Within minutes of them getting the flowers, I was called by the agency thanking me. And in today's age when class is sadly out the window, it was a nice act.
Thanks ...
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Starbucks' Response
Surprise, surprise! I got a response from Julie S at Starbucks Coffee Company about my posting with respect to their "double-cupping" policies. Seems as though they are doing what they can about the environment ... please read on.
Am I satisfied with the response? Guess so ...
Thank you for contacting Starbucks Coffee Company.
Starbucks white paper cups, used for hot beverages, are made of paper fiber and the industry standard liner (low-density polyethylene plastic). The paper provides the rigidity for the cup, while the plastic layer keeps the paper layer intact by protecting it from the hot beverage. This plastic layer also makes the hot beverage cups unrecyclable in most paper recycling systems. We are continually evaluating alternatives to the current plastic coating, and are currently conducting life cycle assessments for bio-based plastics.
We have spent more than ten years looking for opportunities to decrease the environmental impact of our disposable hot cups, which represent more than half of all the paper we buy. We are now focusing our efforts on addressing the source of the paper we use to make our cups. We believe our biggest impact has come from the introduction of our white 10 percent post-consumer recycled fiber (PCF) hot cups in our U.S. and Canada stores in 2006.
Starbucks was the first company in the United States to use 10 percent PCF fiber in hot beverage cups which, according to Environmental Defense's Paper Calculator, has significantly reduced the amount of wood we use by 11,300 tons - the equivalent of 78,000 trees in the first year alone.
Though Starbucks pays a slight premium for the PCF cups, we believe the long-term impact of using this more environmentally-friendly option is worth the additional cost. Our commitment to corporate social responsibility initiatives such as this underscores our long term investment in continuing to operate our business in a responsible way.
Other actions taken by Starbucks to reduce the environmental impacts of our disposable cups include:
Working to eliminate most double-cupping by utilizing corrugated hot beverage sleeves made of 60 percent post-consumer recycled fiber.
Offering customers a $0.10 discount when they use their own reusable cups. Customers in the U.S. and Canada took advantage of this offer more than 17 million times in fiscal 2006, keeping 674,000 pounds of paper from going to the landfill.
Providing "for here" mugs for customers who choose to enjoy their beverages in-store.
I hope you find this information useful. Thanks again for writing.
Julie S.
Customer Relations
Starbucks Coffee Company
Am I satisfied with the response? Guess so ...
Thank you for contacting Starbucks Coffee Company.
Starbucks white paper cups, used for hot beverages, are made of paper fiber and the industry standard liner (low-density polyethylene plastic). The paper provides the rigidity for the cup, while the plastic layer keeps the paper layer intact by protecting it from the hot beverage. This plastic layer also makes the hot beverage cups unrecyclable in most paper recycling systems. We are continually evaluating alternatives to the current plastic coating, and are currently conducting life cycle assessments for bio-based plastics.
We have spent more than ten years looking for opportunities to decrease the environmental impact of our disposable hot cups, which represent more than half of all the paper we buy. We are now focusing our efforts on addressing the source of the paper we use to make our cups. We believe our biggest impact has come from the introduction of our white 10 percent post-consumer recycled fiber (PCF) hot cups in our U.S. and Canada stores in 2006.
Starbucks was the first company in the United States to use 10 percent PCF fiber in hot beverage cups which, according to Environmental Defense's Paper Calculator, has significantly reduced the amount of wood we use by 11,300 tons - the equivalent of 78,000 trees in the first year alone.
Though Starbucks pays a slight premium for the PCF cups, we believe the long-term impact of using this more environmentally-friendly option is worth the additional cost. Our commitment to corporate social responsibility initiatives such as this underscores our long term investment in continuing to operate our business in a responsible way.
Other actions taken by Starbucks to reduce the environmental impacts of our disposable cups include:
Working to eliminate most double-cupping by utilizing corrugated hot beverage sleeves made of 60 percent post-consumer recycled fiber.
Offering customers a $0.10 discount when they use their own reusable cups. Customers in the U.S. and Canada took advantage of this offer more than 17 million times in fiscal 2006, keeping 674,000 pounds of paper from going to the landfill.
Providing "for here" mugs for customers who choose to enjoy their beverages in-store.
I hope you find this information useful. Thanks again for writing.
Julie S.
Customer Relations
Starbucks Coffee Company
Monday, July 14, 2008
Starbucks - what are ya thinking?
Make no mistake, I am not a tree-hugger ... not by any stretch of the imagination. I still consume what I need, enjoy a good piece of meat, but one thing that I will say, is that I am socially aware and in fact, waste very little.
Pardon the pun, but I have a big beef with Starbucks. Why is it that whenever I go to any Starbucks, and I have gone to approximately 20 in the past 60 days, my hot beverage is double-cupped? In other words, they use 2 cups for every hot drink. If the drink is heated to like a gazillion degrees, is that really necessary? Is hot simply not hot enough?
Just do the math and you'll see the hundreds of millions of cups Starbucks uses every year. Now double that!
Get my picture? I bet.
For a company that prides itself on caring for the environment, I'd be interested in knowing their rationale.
Watch this space for more details.
Pardon the pun, but I have a big beef with Starbucks. Why is it that whenever I go to any Starbucks, and I have gone to approximately 20 in the past 60 days, my hot beverage is double-cupped? In other words, they use 2 cups for every hot drink. If the drink is heated to like a gazillion degrees, is that really necessary? Is hot simply not hot enough?
Just do the math and you'll see the hundreds of millions of cups Starbucks uses every year. Now double that!
Get my picture? I bet.
For a company that prides itself on caring for the environment, I'd be interested in knowing their rationale.
Watch this space for more details.
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